Cultural activist, environmentalist poet and singer-songwriter Zachary Ric… Read Full Bio ↴Cultural activist, environmentalist poet and singer-songwriter Zachary Richard’s roots are deeply planted in his native Louisiana. Inspired by the various styles of the region, his song s go beyond the limitations of any particular genre. Zachary’s style is uniquely his own.

Le Fou is Zachary’s 20th album. Going back to his roots, this album is steeped in the sounds and rhythms of Louisana. The texture is acoustic folk. The songs simple yet rich in emotion. The themes of resistance (Laisse le vent souffler - Let the storm wind blow), of separation (La chanson des migrateurs - The migrant’s song) and of identity (Orignal ou caribou - Moose or caribou) are still present in Zachary’s work, but this album has a unique Louisiana flavor as only Zachary Richard can prepare. Clif’s Zydeco, Sweet Sweet, Crevasse Crevasse, Bee de la manche pay tribute to the culture of Zachary’s bayou home. The title song (Le Fou - The Crazy) was inspired by the Deepwater Horizon spill of 2010. The first bird to be captured and cleaned in April of that year was a northern gannet, whose name in French is “Fou de Bassan” (Crazy from Bassan). The folly of which the song speaks is the folly of mankind in destroying the natural environment. It’s enough to make you crazy.

Zachary received his first recording contract at the age of 21. He was the last artist to sign with Electra records before the creation of WEA. That album, High Time, was lost in the maelstrom surrounding the merger and was not released until 2000 when the original masters were found in a vault in New York City and made available on Rhino Hand Made.

It was during his early days in New Yorek that Zachary made a discovery that would influence his art and effect the rest of his life. With the advance money from the record company, he purchased a Cajun accordion. From that moment on, he was swept up by the French language culture of Louisiana. Delving into the Cajun tradition, Zachary formed the first new generation Cajun/Rock band. It would be years, however, before Cajun music became popular outside of rural Louisiana. In the meantime, Zachary career led him to Canada and France.

From 1976 until 1981, Zachary lived in Montreal, recording seven French language albums including two gold albums, Mardi Gras and Migration. Despite critical and commercial success in the French-speaking world, Zachary returned to Louisiana in the early 1980s and began another phase of his career, this time recording in English. He recorded two albums for Rounder Records, Mardi Gras Mambo and the perennial favorite Zack’s Bon Ton, before signing with A&M, and recording two albums at the label, Women in the Room, and SnakeBite Love. Non-stop touring and the strength of these recordings guaranteed Zachary an international following.

In 1994, after and extended absence from the French market, Zachary returned to Canada to play at the Acadian World Congress in New Brunswick. Passionately inspired by his heritage once again, Zachary began a new collection of French songs. The result was Cap Enragé. This double platinum (Canada) album established Zachary Richard as one of the foremost singer-songwriters in the French-speaking world. Once again Zachary had broken the mold, weaving a musical tapestry rich in atmosphere, with masterfully crafted lyrics dealing with far ranging themes.

During his years in Montreal, Zachary published three volumes of poetry, receiving the prestigious Prix Champlain for Faire Récolte in 1998. Zachary’s third volume, Feu was awarded the Prix Roland Gasparic in Roumania, the jury noting not only Zachary’s unique poetics, but also his militant commitment to the defense of the French language in North America. With his daughter Sarah, Zachary had published three children’s book.

In 1996, Zachary founded Action Cadienne, a volunteer organization dedicated to the promotion of the French language and the Cadien/Cajun culture of Louisiana. His contributions to the arts and to French culture were recognized by the government of France in March, 1997. Zachary Richard was decorated Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et Lettres de la République Française. That same year, Zachary was initiated into the Ordre des Francophones d’Amérique by the government of Québec. Zachary has received three honorary doctorates, bestowed by the University of Moncton (New Brunswick), the University of Louisiana (Lafayette) and Ste Anne’s University in Nova Scotia.

Zachary Richard has produced and narrated numerous television documentaries. In collaboration with Louisiana Public Broadcasting, he produced, narrated and scored Against the Tide, the story of the Cajun people of Louisiana which was awarded Best Historical Documentary by the National Educational Television Association (NETA) in 2000. A French version, Contre vents, contre marées received the Prix Historia from the L’institut d’Histoire de l’Amérique Française in 2003. Other documentary projects included Coeurs Batailleurs, a 26 part series exploring the Acadian diaspora, Migrations, which dealt with avian migration in North America and was awarded the Liriot D’or (first prize) and the International Ornithological Film Festival (France) in 2008, and most recently Kouchibouguac, which investigated the social upheaval following the expropriation of 250 Acadian families in 1978 for the creation of a national park.

The celebrated Creole poet, Aimé Césaire, once said that to separate himself from one of his languages (French and Créole) would be like cutting off one of his hands. It is much the same for Zachary. Participating completely in two distinct cultures and creating in his two languages, French and English, Zachary’s artistic experience is unique. He is the most American of French songwriters, and the most French of the American.

Official Website: Zachary Richard

La ballade de DL-8-153
Zachary Richard Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

La lune est pleine, on monte ce soir avec Beausoleil.
Il fera claire au fond du grand bois.
D?j? les hommes ils sont fatigu?s,
L'hiver pass? on n'?tait pas capable de se loger.
De plus en plus on parle de la Louisianne.
Ce n'?tait rien qu'un r?ve qu'on appellait l'Acadie.

Lance de feu, couteau d'amour.

Regarder dans les yeux d'un amant
Voir que de la peine.
C'aurait ?t? mieux si ce n'aurait jamais arriv?.
Ce n'?tait rien qu'un r?ve qu'on appellait l'amour.

Bataille pour le bleu du ciel
Un vautour contre une colombe.
Rayure de vol mortel,
Griffe pointu, bec arm?.
C'?tait comme si tout nos chances
?taient d?j? prisoniers,
Comme la peine que tu me lances,
Comme l'amour qu'on a trouv?.

Sang de colombe dans ses griffes,
Bouche de vautour pleine de br?lures.
Les yeux plein de peur,
La colombe qui tremble pur.
Quand au haut ciel un aigle,
Pr?pare ses ailes pour la descente.
Dans son geste ?ternel,
Il lance ses feux,
Il prend revanche.

La r?colte riche, la vall?e fleurie
La buchane aux chemin?es.
Le village tranquille,
Les enfants qui jouent au soleil.
Les cendres des arbres,

Les pierres de la terre ?taient tous endeuill?s.
Ce n'?tait rien qu'un r?ve qu'on appellait la libert?

Overall Meaning

The song "La ballade de DL-8-153" by Zachary Richard is a poetic and poignant take on the history of the Acadian people. The lyrics use vivid imagery to describe the struggles and triumphs of this French-speaking community, which was forcibly removed from Acadia (now Nova Scotia, Canada) by the British in the mid-1700s. The opening lines set the scene for a moonlit journey through the woods with Beausoleil, a reference to Joseph Broussard - one of the leaders of the Acadian resistance. The singer reflects on how hard life has been for the Acadians, who were unable to find shelter during the winter months, and how the dream of Louisiana (which at the time included parts of what is now the southeastern United States) offered hope and refuge to these displaced people.

The second verse shifts to a more personal and intimate moment, as the singer describes the pain of looking into the eyes of a lover and seeing only sorrow. This is contrasted with the dream of love that once seemed possible but has now been shattered. The third verse returns to the theme of struggle and conflict, with a battle for the "blue of the sky" between a vulture and a dove. This imagery is rich with meaning, suggesting a clash between conquerors and conquered, oppressor and oppressed. The final verse offers a glimpse of hope and freedom, as the singer describes a bountiful harvest, a peaceful village, and children playing in the sun. However, even in this idyllic scene, there is a sense of loss and mourning - the ashes of trees and stones speak to the Acadians' deep sense of displacement and displacement.

Line by Line Meaning

La lune est pleine, on monte ce soir avec Beausoleil.
The moon is full, we are riding tonight with Beausoleil.

Il fera claire au fond du grand bois.
It will be clear in the depths of the big woods.

Déjà les hommes ils sont fatigués, L'hiver passé on n'était pas capable de se loger.
Already, the men are tired, having been unable to find lodging after the winter passed.

De plus en plus on parle de la Louisianne.
More and more people talk about Louisiana.

Ce n'était rien qu'un rêve qu'on appelait l'Acadie.
It was nothing but a dream that we called Acadie.

Lance de feu, couteau d'amour.
Spear of fire, knife of love.

Regarder dans les yeux d'un amant Voir que de la peine.
Looking into the eyes of a lover and seeing only pain.

C'aurait été mieux si ce n'aurait jamais arrivé.
It would have been better if it had never happened.

Ce n'était rien qu'un rêve qu'on appelait l'amour.
It was nothing but a dream that we called love.

Bataille pour le bleu du ciel Un vautour contre une colombe.
A battle for the blue of the sky: a vulture against a dove.

Rayure de vol mortel, Griffe pointu, bec armé.
Deadly flight striations, pointed talons, and an armed beak.

C'était comme si tout nos chances étaient déjà prisoniers, Comme la peine que tu me lances, Comme l'amour qu'on a trouvé.
It was as if all our chances were already prisoners, like the pain you throw at me, like the love we found.

Sang de colombe dans ses griffes, Bouche de vautour pleine de brûlures.
Dove's blood in its talons, vulture's mouth full of burns.

Les yeux plein de peur, La colombe qui tremble pur.
Eyes full of fear, the dove trembling in purity.

Quand au haut ciel un aigle, Prépare ses ailes pour la descente.
When an eagle in the high sky prepares its wings for the descent.

Dans son geste éternel, Il lance ses feux, Il prend revanche.
In its eternal gesture, it launches its flames, it takes revenge.

La récolte riche, la vallée fleurie, La buchane aux cheminées.
The rich harvest, the flowery valley, the chimneys smoking.

Le village tranquille, Les enfants qui jouent au soleil.
The quiet village, the children playing in the sun.

Les cendres des arbres, Les pierres de la terre étaient tous endeuillés.
The ashes of the trees, the stones of the earth were all in mourning.

Ce n'était rien qu'un rêve qu'on appelait la liberté.
It was nothing but a dream that we called liberty.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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